Sept. 4, 2006Q: Ed, you are the go-to guy for plumbing questions, and I finally have one for you! Recently my wife and I were looking for bathroom fixtures to lay out our bathroom for a new house we want to build in the not-so-distant future. Anyway, we asked about a standard shower stall at a local supply house, and the sales person asked us whether we wanted a one-, two- or three-piece shower stall. We told them we would look into it. Why so many types of showers, and what would be our best choice? — Richard and Helen, Wisconsin
A: First of all, Richard, good job on doing your homework. You get and 'A' for research and for asking before doing! So many people just rush into buying plumbing fixtures just to find out they purchased the wrong type or style and now they have to pay a return fee or get stuck with the fixture if it's special order. Shower stalls come in different component setups for the type of construction you're doing. Normally when I give examples of different models I start from the first model and work my way up. In this case I'll work my way down, and you'll soon see why.
Let's start with a three-piece shower stall. Just as the name says, it comes in three pieces. There is usually a base and two wall sections to make the surround. If you're remodeling an older home with narrow halls and small door openings, you can easily move all three smaller pieces into the bathroom; they'll fit through your hall and door openings. Once inside the bathroom you can put everything together to make your shower stall.
With newer homes or older houses with a bigger access hall and door openings, you can use a two-piece shower stall and still be able to get them undamaged into your bathroom. And finally, for new construction like you are doing, you can get a one-piece unit into the bath during framing and build around it. A one-piece shower stall will give you a seamless look and you won't have to put it together.
So, as you see, sometimes plumbing fixture choices can be "cut and dry," even for a place designed to get you wet!
Q: Ed, your advice is the best! I'm a big DIY'er around my house and what I respect about your advice is that if you feel a project is above the skill of a reader's question, you advise them to get help with the project from a professional plumber and learn from them. I'm sure this has stopped countless of homeowners from getting into trouble! Now for me. I hear a loud "bang" from my washing machine whenever the water shuts off. Is there anything I can do as a handyman to fix this, or will I need a plumber to help me out? — Bill, Nebraska
A: Thanks for noticing, Bill, that this is a learning and conversation column that educates people on the wonderful world of plumbing and it's not designed to be a how-to, step-by-step manual.
Bill, the banging you hear is called "water hammer," and it's usually associated with quick-closing water valves with high pressure in the water lines. So, first check your water pressure with a screw-on hose bib gauge for your outside faucet, and make sure your pressure is under 80psi. If your water pressure is over 80psi, call your water utility or a licensed plumber for advice on how to get it lowered in your home.
If, however, you have normal water pressure and still hear water hammer banging in the area of your washing machine, you can try a control called a "water hammer arrestor." Get the type of hammer arrestors that will simply screw on to your washer's water supply valves and washer hose lines. Basically a hammer arrestor works like a shock absorber for the quick-closing valves should quiet things down. Plumb on!
(Ed Del Grande is a certified master plumber and hosts DIY's Ed the Plumber. Send plumbing questions to him at edtheplumber@diynetwork.com. For building-code concerns, always contact your local government office or a local licensed plumber. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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